Football specials ruled offside in high winds
LINCOLNSHIRE Coast Light Railway officials blew the whistle on a series of football and rugby specials due to safety grounds.
The specials, a first for the 2ft gauge line, were timetabled to run during April and May to convey matchgoers to both the ESF 2024 Youth Football Festival and the Rhinos Challenge Rugby League Festival, which saw thousands of supporters, and players and their families, descend on Skegness.
The games were played in the Skegness Water Leisure Park grounds, which sit adjacent to the railway’s Walls Lane station. To cater for the influx of visitors, the specials were timetabled for April 20/21, May 4/5, 11/12, and 18/19, with heritage diesel locomotives hauling ex-War Department and Ashover Light Railway passenger carriages.
However, a problem arose on the first weekend when young children kicked footballs over the fence which divides the playing area from the railway and then climbed over the fence to retrieve them by walking on to the track – while trains were running.
A LCLR spokesman said: “The problem was exacerbated by the very strong winds blowing at the time, which were picking up balls from children’s kickabouts (not from the tournament matches themselves, which were well-organised, supervised and supported) – they weren’t doing this deliberately.
“I spoke to a number of parents about my concerns and the necessity on safety grounds of keeping children away from railway lines (of any gauge) and they – and the children – were understanding
“However, train crews continued to report their concerns and so after consultation with the operating company and the owner of Skegness Water Leisure Park, it was agreed that no further services could be operated in connection with the tournament on safety grounds.
“All of us involved with the LCLR are sorry for any inconvenience caused to people planning to travel on the services, but we hope it will be understood that safety must always be our priority.”
Meanwhile, the railway is also due to commence construction of a new station and interpretation centre at its south loop terminus thanks to a £24,250 grant from the UK Government’s Levelling up programme, with match-funding of £8000 from leisure park owner Ellis Bros Ltd.
With record rainfall over the winter months making it impossible to carry construction materials to the site, the railway will operate regular freight trains to convey the deliveries, harking back to the origins of part of the collection which was constructed to aid transportation of soldiers, weapons and supplies across otherwise impassable muddy quagmires on the battlefields of France during the First World War.
➜ The advertised LCLR services will resume on Sunday, May 26, when it is hoped that Peckett 0-6-0ST No. 1008 of 1903 Jurassic will be in steam.